Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-11-24

aid, gently. Every now and then,
when was far away, I used to fall into
the most torturing doubts about you.
had made up my mind-idiot that was
that ! would never come back 10 you,
and that you could never have loved me
ct all, If you could send me away like
chat. think now that perhaps-Inaybe
well, possibly / was mistaken. WasIG'
II don't know, said Violet, not pre-
pared for immediate surrender. There's
one feeling / always have about you.
When l am in trouble or worried, or
when think any one has treated me
badly, Ialways think of you. 1 suppose
itishaving no father or brother that makes
me think of you when want some one to
take care of me. Now thing happened
not long ago
And then she proceeded to give him
IN account of the rude and presumptu-
Gus man who had taken advantage of
Der helplessness to force himself upon
her acquaintance, to which he listened
patiently, and at the end answered,
somewhat irrelevantly: "And so YOU
are sure you would have known me any,
wherei"
''Oh, yes; I'm certain of that"
Even if you had seen my eyes
though persistently avoiding them-and
if had had big brown beard all over
my face-and it had been in most un-
expected region, in pouring rain, in
the twilight of winter evenings"
''What are you talking about ~ said
Violet, bewildered.
81 am trying to prove that had q more
faithful memory than you. Noteven the
rain, nor the isolation, nor the twilight, nor
the rubber. coat, nor the draggled feathers,
disguised from me. confess l had
some doubts until you got into the
buggy. Then l had good view of the
right side of your face, and saw the
three little moles which identified Won
beyond possibility of mistake. The
fancy seized me then to play a part and
see if you still retained the old naughty
manner that has cost me so much, and
that look for in vain in the person of
this meek maiden beside me-"
Violet did not speak. She was too
astounded, so he went on:
''If you remember, tried to make
myself known, but you would neither
read my card nor hear my name. You ran
and left me relentlessly, but I had a
horse I could not leave, 30 I resolved to
rectify matters by calling next day and
sending my card, knowing you would
come down at once, and picturing your
surprise, when l explained my double
identity. had gone down to Join some
friends in shooting, and expected to be
some days in the neighborhood. You
may imagine my disappointment, there
fore, when called only to learn that you
were gone"
1t was some time before Violet quite
forgass him for the ruse he had prac..
ticed, but he made his peace at last, and
before they parted, he took from his
pocket bright and sparkling object,
which he slipped upon her finger.
"Wil you accept that from me,
Violeta" he said. II bought that jewel
long ago, because it was very pure and
perfect one, resolving that if / ever asked
any woman to marry me, I would offer it
to her. Somehow 1 have never been able
to fancy it on any hand but yours. Will
you take it, Violet, and with it heart
that has been faithful to you throughout
all these years of separations'
y
Violet still wears the ring, and it serves
as a guard now to another, which, though
it has no jewel in it, is a thing more
precious still, which Arthur Darcy Eut
on her hand before the winter that fol-
lowed that Thanksgiving Day was over.